Facing Fears
by dream royale
Summary: Please read both Rising from the Mist and the Aftermath before reading this installment. Leave no question unanswered! This fic bravely attacks all of the mysteries of Avatar! PLUS the author is a dork! zutara pairing
1. Chapter 1

A/N

This is the third, and final, part of my fanfic trilogy. Unlike the last installment, the Aftermath, the chapters in this fic do not stand alone, and therefore you might have to keep on your toes to understand what's going on. The Aftermath was originally going to be a drabble series, but this is not. This story was bred to be el mejor historia (right word there?) del mundo. Ha. Ha. I'm kidding.

I strongly advise you to read the first two installments first. Otherwise you'll just throw something at me for not making sense.

The following characters and settings do not belong to me. They are property of Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios.

xxx

Fire Lord Ozai,

Greetings, my Lord. I hope this letter finds you well, and if it does not, then I hope its contents will please you.

As you know, I have been tracking the Avatar and the traitors: Prince Zuko and General Iroh. I have been on their trail since leaving the town Nishe in the Earth Kingdom, and now I am situated outside Ba Sing Se. Their path ends here, therefore I sent a spy into the city to determine if my postulation was correct.

My Lord, I am proud to be the one to tell you that the Avatar is literally just outside my grasp; however, I must also report that your shameful son and brother have now joined forces with him and seem quite content. With your permission, I would like to rid the world of such treasonous persons, and I would also ask your permission for more troops, as I wish to fell the city Ba Sing Se and capture the Avatar.

I will not fail.

Again, I hope this letter finds you well, and I will be returning home victorious very soon.

Your endearing daughter,

Princess Azula

xxx

A/N

Killer chapter, eh? It's my favorite ever! (saaarcaaasm)

It was a necessary way to begin, however.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N

I feel cheap. And late. Cheap and late. Oh my god. I'm a horrible date!

Note: Sokka is not yet over his "I hate Zuko" angst from the Aftermath. Keep that in mind.

The following characters (except for King Wu- who was coincidentally named, so just be quiet) belong to Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios.

xxx

"Pull your elbows in."

"I can't. I've got to keep my elbows out for balance."

"The point is to not need to use your elbows for balance. Pull them in."

"I can't!"

"If you don't want me to teach you, then just say so and I'll stop. I can think of better things to do than stand here and argue with you."

"Okay! My elbows are in!" Katara snapped, wriggling on her one foot like a worm pulled from the earth.

Zuko cocked his head, studying her form. His lips tugged into a grin. "You look like you're in pain."

"Hurry up! I'll fall!"

Zuko moved closer, standing at her back and beginning to chuckle. "This was your idea, you know." He took her shoulders and rolled them back to a more relaxed position, and then he moved away. "Alright, now watch me one last time, and try and copy it."

He stood on one leg, pulling his other up to his hip and thrust his heel outward, jetting a flame to his side.

"Minus the fire part, I think I got it…" Katara said, swaying a bit as she almost lost balance. Her leg was already pulled up to her hip, and she slowly extended it.

"No, no." Zuko pushed her leg back into place, holding her arm so she wouldn't tip over. "You're still thinking in gradual, slow motions. Everything in firebending is quick and forceful. Here," he held an empty palm in front of his chest. "Drop your form and punch my hand."

"Punch it?" Katara put her left foot back onto the ground and staring in disbelief at her boyfriend.

"As hard as you can,"

"Do it for me, sis!" Sokka called from across the arena.

She threw him a mocking face before focusing back on Zuko. She pulled back her arm and hit his palm with her fist with as much might as she could muster. He barely moved.

"Imagine that amount of force in every move," Zuko smiled down at her.

She sighed. "Let's break for a bit. Sound good?"

"That's fine." Zuko agreed, taking her hand and walking with her to his uncle and the young Avatar.

Aang was beginning his firebending instruction, even though his earthbending training wasn't completely finished. He had the basics down, but he wasn't quite good enough yet. He had lost his patience with the instructors that the king had offered him, however. Iroh had started to teach him proper breathing the day prior, and Aang had been pointedly reminded by Sokka that he shouldn't shirk on any part of the instruction because of 'what happened last time'.

Sokka hadn't fully embraced Aang's firebending yet. It was always a shock to remember that a fourth of his friend was firebender. Now, as Iroh taught Aang, Sokka sat cross-legged, watching carefully. His reasoning was that if he knew how firebenders performed their bending, he could better disarm them the next time he went up against them in combat.

Katara and Zuko sat next to Sokka on the ground.

"How's he doing?" Katara leaned across Zuko to her brother.

"He's done with his breathing exercises. Apparently, what Jeong Jeong taught him was enough for him to remember."

Zuko flinched at the name. "How long was he under his instruction?"

"Only a day or so." Katara answered. "Zhao came before he could get into any real teaching."

"You know…" Sokka scratched his chin. "I kinda miss the ol' geezer. It was nice to have some 'bad guy' to beat up without any trouble."

"I prefer no bad guy to beat up at all." Katara chimed. "It's been nice lately… Peaceful…"

"Which makes me worried," Zuko frowned. "Trouble always seems to find us, and it hasn't for awhile."

"Leave the worrying to me." Sokka smirked. "That's my job. Your job is to be the sulking one in the group. You're pretty good at that."

"Not lately." Katara smiled, taking Zuko's hand.

Sokka gagged. "Please… Not in front of me."

"Sh!" Aang called. "I'm trying to conjure some fire here!"

"Sorry!" Katara answered.

"I think I'm bored." Sokka said, flicking dirt from under his fingernails with his hunting knife. "Who wants to spar with me?"

Katara groaned. "Do we have to?"

"I'll do it." Zuko said, pushing himself to his feet and added to Katara's glare, "I'll make sure and go easy on him."

"You think you're so good?" Sokka sneered. "Let's see how you do without your bending. Strictly hand to hand combat-."

"Hel-lo!" Aang exclaimed. "Come on! Either be quiet or go up to the apartment!"

"Yes," Zuko sighed. "O mighty Avatar, we'll be quiet for your sake."

"Come on." Sokka said, punching Zuko's shoulder. "Let's go, moody."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to get hurt?"

Sokka held his fists out in front of his chest and bounced on his feet around Zuko. "I think you're mistaken if you think I'm the one who's going to get hurt, here, Zuzu. You've been sitting on your rear for a few months now."

"And you've been… What? Training?" Zuko asked.

"I've been mentally preparing myself. You've had your eyes glued to Katara's."

Zuko smiled, taking a stance. "Do I have to lower your ego again?"

"Try it!"

"I have a girlfriend, which leaves you with…"

"Oh, shut up." Sokka barked, swinging at Zuko's head.

Zuko ducked and thrust his fist into Sokka's stomach, causing the other to groan and stumble back a step.

"That was low… You… pompous…"

Zuko swung his leg around to connect with Sokka's temple, but Sokka was prepared this time, and he caught the free-flying foot, twisting it and Zuko's body along with it. The firebender landed face first in the arena dirt. As soon as he dislodged the earth from his mouth, he began to retort when a guard entering the arena interrupted him.

"Avatar Aang," the guard bowed respectfully, "I have a message from the king."

Aang sighed. He supposed he'd never get any good training in. "Yes?"

"I…" The man glanced at the rest of the company. "bring tidings for the avatar alone…"

Aang followed his gaze and shook his head. "You can relay the message."

"Ah… very well… The king wishes to see you about a very pressing matter, Avatar Aang, and he urges you to be prompt."

"Okay," Aang kicked his staff from the ground, palming it expertly. "Let's go."

The guard nodded sharply and began to lead him away, but he froze when the others followed. He looked skeptically to his young charge. "The king informed me strictly to bring only you, Avatar."

"I will answer to any protests," Aang answered, grinning politely at him.

The guard shrugged and continued on his way, muttering under his breath, "And this is the pup that will save us…"

xxx

The king was cradling his head in one pale, jeweled hand when Aang his companions entered the expansive hall. He raised his eyes, meeting the young avatar with a sarcastic smirk.

"Ah… Thank you ever so much for gracing my presence, Avatar…"

Aang, usually oblivious to this kind of insult, bowed accordingly and beamed back at the older man. "I understand you require something from me, your majesty?"

Iroh cast his eyes to the floor, trying to remain out of sight. He shuffled behind his nephew and mumbled, "This doesn't sound good."

"Don't worry." Katara said soothingly. "I'm sure it's-."

"Please read this," the king handed Aang a rich scroll, and the other took it eagerly.

"Is this word from Chief Arnook?" Aang asked excitedly. "I've been expecting-."

"It is hardly something I should hope you would have expected, young Avatar." The man said, dropping each syllable dangerously close to a threat.

Aang tossed a worried glance over his shoulder at his friends before unfurling the scroll to read the sharp, black print inside. His back stiffened, and it wasn't until well after he was done reading the inscription several times over that he raised his head and uttered, "Azula found us."

The king's hands writhed in the air. "When you say 'found us', do you mean to say that she has been searching for you? You have led this abomination into my city to threaten my people?"

Aang didn't tear his eyes from the paper. "I… didn't think…"

"No!" The king exclaimed. "You didn't think! What will I do now? What choice do I have?"

Sokka gingerly took the paper from Aang's petrified fists and ran over it himself. "But Sire, it doesn't really say that she has the troops… just that she's willing to use them…"

"She does have them." Zuko whispered. "We saw the soldier report; remember, Sokka?"

Sokka grimaced. "Oh… those troops…"

"And what's this about fugitives?" The king continued, his voice becoming weaker and more apt to whine. "I don't harbor fugitives! My city is a clean and stable city!..." He sighed. "I have sent out men to look for any suspicious-looking persons… At least we can turn them over to the princess."

Zuko and Iroh involuntarily took a step backwards.

"Sire…" Aang started cautiously. "We'd be willing to help-."

"Fine. Turn yourself in." The king snapped. "Spare me and my people a most certain death!"

"There's no guarantee she'd back off, even if you did turn him in!" Zuko blurted. "You don't know her ways…"

"And you do, do you?" The king glared. "Who are you, anyway?"

Katara put a warning hand on Zuko's arm, but he shrugged it off.

"My name is Zuko."

Aang cringed and attempted to distract the king. "Majesty, please, let us help you defend your city-."

"I don't want to defend it! I am on the offense!" He slammed a fist into his chair. "Ba Sing Se will never back down, do you understand that, Avatar?"

"I'm not asking you to back down." Aang tried to pacify him. "We have suffered an invasion before-."

The king stood abruptly. "What do you expect to do, hm? What do you expect to do, Avatar?"

"He has the company of more experience than you'll ever need," Iroh said quietly.

"No," Katara muttered. "Iroh…"

"I am the former General Iroh," he introduced himself with a bow at the waist. "And I have been on the opposite side of this situation, and I can help you out of it."

King Wu suddenly stilled, and slowly his face burned crimson. "Avatar," he growled. "Did you know this?"

Aang tapped his staff nervously on the tiled floor. "Yes, Majesty."

"And you neglected to tell me… because?"

"Because it was irrelevant. I trust both Iroh and Zuko with my life, and my life is something I think we can agree that has a high value right now… Please…" Aang took an unsteady breath. "Please listen to what General Iroh has to say. We can save this city."

The king slumped in his throne, and his eyes trailed lamely over his hall. "I have no other choice, do I?"  
"Azula will not compromise." Zuko said firmly. "She wants the Avatar, and she wants us."

"Not to mention that this city has been on the Fire Nation's wanted list for quite some time, Sire." Iroh added quietly. "Azula is a powerful force to reckon with."

"You do have a choice," Aang announced. "You can let the princess have us and risk losing your city… or you can believe that we can help."

"Sir, if I may…" a general stirred at the king's side. "Perhaps it would be best to allow the General Iroh to assess the situation. If he can do nothing, we can release him to the Fire Nation."

King Wu sat up abruptly and dismounted from his throne, crossing the silent room until he stood before Iroh. His cheek twitched irritably. "Why have you left the Fire Nation?"

"I refused to see the Moon spirit murdered." Iroh answered evenly. "At the North Pole… I became a traitor to the Fire Nation."

"You've heard the story, Majesty?" Katara asked quietly.

He jerked his head in the affirmative, but his eyes failed to leave Iroh's. "And how is it you came into the Avatar's company?" Wu's wrinkled face tightened suspiciously.

"Sir… Time is not on our side…" the scribe muttered.

"If you don't trust him," Aang cut in, "then don't. But if you give him to the Fire Nation, then I'll go with him."

"And me with them," Katara agreed.

The king pursed his lips. "The general will lead you to our war chamber. There you will look at the situation and advise us…" He turned to Aang. "If you fail, and my city falls-."

"It won't." Aang replied sternly.

A soldier ushered them down a corridor off of the hall, and the party cautiously left the king's gaze, slipping after the escort as if the king might have them executed from behind as they marched.

Sokka sighed heavily as soon as they were out of earshot. He caught up to Aang, in the lead, and leaned over to mutter. "This has been the worst decision I've ever had to follow in my life!"

"What?" Aang furrowed his eyebrows. "Do you want to just walk away from the city?"

"I'm not talking about Ba Sing Se." Sokka answered coldly. "I'm talking about being in league with Zuko and Iroh."

Aang halted in his tracks and whirled to face Sokka with a glare. "Don't you ever say that to me again, Sokka."

Sokka's eyes widened. "Well, I think you can agree that Azula wouldn't be knocking at these gates if they weren't here."

"Sokka," Aang said lowly and stepped closer, nostrils flaring. "You've done nothing but complain about them since we picked them up at Nishe. I'm sick of it! They haven't done anything to deserve your scorn other than their former nationality, and both of them have revoked their citizenship to the Fire Nation, so move on!" He waited for Sokka to protest, and when he didn't, he continued stalking down the hall.

Sokka watched him leave with a mixture of disbelief and anger.

"Something wrong?" Zuko asked as he and the others came up on him.

Sokka shot him a withering stare. "No. Nothing's wrong." He followed Aang in a huff.

Katara sighed. "It won't ever end."

xxx

"Ba Sing Se is literally surrounded." The general explained wearily. "I'm not sure how she did it without our knowledge, but she managed."

"Is that all to account for?" Iroh asked, fingering his beard. "What about the lake? Is there any threat there?"

"There are a few ships, but nothing that could harm us now."

"You forgot something." Sokka said distantly, staring out the window, back to the table.

"What's that?" Aang asked.

He pointed into the sky. "They have balloons."

xxx

A/N

Yeah.

Oh snap.

I still feel cheap! Curse you cheezily-written fanfiction!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N

All endings spur beginnings. Aren't you all lucky that I had mine?

In response to some concern about the identity of the Earth King in my fiction:

I created King Wu around the time that 'Zuko Alone' aired, therefore I didn't have any information about Ba Sing Se nor its king. I also created Wu without relation to "Aunt Wu", which I'm still kicking myself in the butt for; his name was a fluke, actually.

This was a story created before its genre's time, but it was written in the prime of 'third season fever'.

Also realize that in my ignorance of the structure of the city, I did not create an outer wall.

All characters (excluding King Wu and his insignificant cronies) belong to Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios.

By the way, this plot was written FULLY before ANY lick of Season 3.

Thanks for your understanding of my ignorance and originality. 

xxx

"We have to take them out before they get too far into the city," Aang said firmly.

He and the others were perched on a palace balcony, watching the unfolding scene with a morbid sense of fascination as the striking red balloons crawled through the clouds towards them.

"I don't understand," Katara said quietly. "I thought the inventor said he wouldn't make anything else for the Fire Nation."

"He lied." Sokka answered. "He's been manufacturing a lot, it looks like."

Aang shook his head. "It doesn't matter now. What's done is done, and right now we have more than our fair share of balloons to take care of." He plucked his bison whistle from his waist and blew an inaudible sound. "We'll take them down from the air, but we'll need a ground crew to recover the soldiers inside. General-."

"Yes, Avatar, we're assembling one now."

Sokka pulled his boomerang from behind him. "I'll go in the air with Aang. Katara, you're coming, too."

Aang flashed a dark look at Sokka before inspecting his other two companions. "No. Katara, I want you to stay here with Iroh. I don't trust Wu not to arrest Iroh while we're in the air. Zuko, you come with Sokka and me."

Sokka's lips tightened over his teeth. "Aang-."

"Don't argue with me, Sokka. You either do as I say or stay behind." Aang said no more as he walked to the edge of the balcony to greet Appa.

Sokka ground his jaw as Zuko and Katara quickly exchanged goodbyes and a brief kiss.

"It's not you I'm kissing, so get that look off your face," Zuko snarled as he approached Sokka.

He held out a warning hand to Zuko. "If you don't pull your weight up there, then you're done. This is when you prove to us that you're useful."

"You mean prove to _you_?" Zuko frowned. "This is battle, Sokka, so be a warrior. Get over yourself." He climbed onto the bison after Aang, leaving Sokka somewhat dumbstruck.

"I've got more warrior in my little finger than you've got in your whole body!" Sokka screeched, his voice cracking pathetically.

"Sokka," Aang called sternly. "Let's go."

"Be careful," Katara said as the three took off into the air. She nervously clutched her necklace and turned to Iroh. "Do you think… we have a chance?"

"We have hope." He muttered. "Sometimes that's all one needs."

xxx

"We've received a conformation of an attempt of attack, Princess."

Azula stood from her plush chair to inspect the massive wall of Ba Sing Se. "Good. I expected as much."

"What will we do now?" Ty Lee chimed as the soldier rushed away to report to the lesser generals.

"We will wait." Azula said calmly.

"Oh, goody." Mai sighed. "I haven't waited for anything for at least a day."

"Your sarcasm is not appreciated, Mai." Azula said lightly, eyes still stuck to her opponents' wall.

"Yeah, Mai! It's not every day we get to do battle!" Ty Lee sang.

"Is the Avatar there?" Mai asked dully.

Azula smirked. "Of course he is. I am never wrong. Now all we have to do is wait for our men inside to open the gates. Then, Mai, you can stop waiting… Ba Sing Se will never know what hit them."

xxx

"How exactly are we going to take these down?" Zuko shouted as they circled a balloon from above.

"Any way possible!" Aang screamed back, pulling Appa in a tighter circle around the balloon.

Zuko clenched a fist and held it above his head and lit a flame from his palm. Just before he could throw the fire into the balloon, Sokka tackled him, jerking his arm back into the saddle.

"Are you stupid?" Sokka screamed. "If you do that, the entire thing will blow up!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know? And how do you know?"

"It doesn't matter! You almost got us _and_ a good amount of Ba Sing Se citizens killed! You're worthless!"

"You're both worthless if you won't help me!" Aang shouted. "Be quiet and listen. I'm dropping each of you off into a basket and you can take out the pilots. Once they're on the ground, the soldiers down there will take them as prisoners. Understand?"

The other two nodded silently. Aang pulled Appa down fast, plummeting towards a basket of the nearest balloon.

"Sokka, go!" Aang ordered.

Without another word, Sokka jumped from the saddle and onto the basket, club in hand.

"Okay, Zuko. You're up next. Use your swords okay? The gas in the balloons is flammable."

"Yeah, I figured that out." Zuko said sarcastically.

Aang swooped low again and deposited Zuko into the midst of two surprised balloon pilots. Sokka and Aang watched Zuko anxiously as they zipped off to the next balloon.

"Aang," Sokka said, leaning towards him over the saddle, "This will take too long. Even if-."

"I know." He answered solemnly. "This will just have to work for now."

Sokka grabbed the boy's shoulder briefly in silent understanding before diving into the nearest basket. He landed haphazardly, his limbs twisting in the spare coils of rope on the floor. The two pilots stared at him, disbelieving.

"You…" Sokka snarled as he pushed rope from his body, "have come to the wrong city!"

Before either man could react, Sokka hurled his club and struck the nearest soldier square on the head, and he fell backwards. The other leapt for Sokka, grasping his forearms and forcing the balloon to pitch.

"You'll tip us out!" Sokka screamed.

"You included!"

"We'll die! Look, just surrender, and we won't kill you! You'll just… Let go!"

"No!"

"Get… OFF!"

"Do you think I'm stupid?"

"Well, if the uniform fits!"

A bundle of fur sprang from the air and attached itself to the soldier's face. The man released Sokka in his panic and fell as soon as Sokka hit him.

"Thanks, Momo." He acknowledged as the lemur flew away, presumably to find Aang.

Immediately Sokka maneuvered the balloon to a soft landing on a rooftop. After he'd extricated himself from the expansive amounts of fabric, he searched the sky for proof of Zuko's efforts. His counterpart was waving frantically from his balloon, shouting something down. Only then did it occur to Sokka that Zuko didn't know how to work the balloon.

"He'll figure it out." Sokka muttered, turning to the ground to find Earth Kingdom men to take away the prisoners. He signaled some below him. "I've got two Fire Nation men up here!"

They acknowledged him and proceeded to climb up.

"Sokka!"

He glanced at the sky again. "Or maybe he won't figure it out."

"How…" Zuko's voice was nearly inaudible. "…get down?"

"Use the lever!" Sokka screamed back.

"What?"

"The lever!"  
"This…not a time… to insult…"

"No, the lever!"

"I don't think he can hear you, Sir." One of the Dai Li said dryly.

Sokka huffed. "Obviously."

Aang pulled up next to Zuko's balloon and gave brief instructions before landing Appa gracelessly on the roof aside Sokka. "Get on! We need to refigure our plans!"

xxx

"There's no way we can get them in time," Aang spoke hastily to the small gathering of generals. "Even though we took out five just now, they're moving too fast."

"What if we used ice crystals from the moisture in the air?" Katara chimed. "That's a safe way to bring them down, right?"

The Avatar considered her for a moment, and then uncharacteristically ignored her. "Have we gotten a contact to Azula yet?"

"She's taken out three of our messengers. I don't think she wants to talk." The senior general answered him sharply.

"Well," Aang glanced at Katara once more. "Maybe she'll talk to me."

"No!" His friends chorused at once, but before any of them could grab him, he spiraled off the roof and swooped low on his glider, disappearing into the dust clouds in a red blur.

A/N

I had to redo some of my plot because I wrote the first two chapters of this without my precious plotline notepad file, so I had to write this short chapter to make up for it.

Hang in there! The action gets much more actiony!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N

Whoo-ha.

xxx

"What is he, stupid?" Zuko snarled. "He'll get killed!"

"Azula won't kill the Avatar." Iroh said quietly.

"We have to go after him!" Katara exclaimed.

Zuko snatched her forearm. "We," he gestured to himself and Sokka, "will go. You will stay here."

She gasped. "Excuse me?!"

"This is no time for a women's rights crusade!" Sokka intervened. "Zuko, let's go! Iroh and Katara, you stay here in case Aang comes back. And Generals… just… keep doing what you're doing."

"I don't think that was the right thing to say." Zuko admonished as he and Sokka sprinted through the palace halls.

"Oh, like telling Katara to stay behind was the right thing to say?"

"You agreed with me!"

"You obviously don't have much experience with girls."

"Ugh. Just forget it. How are we going to find Aang?"

"He won't get to the wall for awhile. We may be able to see him. And… we'll need to borrow some ostrich-horses."

As the sunlight greeted them, they quickly spotted a bewildered civilian gawking at the sky, horse reins in hand.

"We need to borrow this." Sokka guiltily jumped atop the man's horse. "Sorry!"

"I'm not riding yours!" Zuko spat. "I'll find my own."

"Fine, but hurry!"

Zuko pulled his swords from their sheath on his back and cut the ropes to a horse tied outside a shop. He hopped on it and sped after Sokka as a woman screamed after him.

The city was in complete chaos. Earthbenders were stationed on the roofs, taking down balloons with sharp spears of stone. Explosions sounded from fighting, fire blasts and shattering of earth. People ran everywhere in their panic, tripping over one another and casting terrified looks to the war in their sky. Children shrieked. Women cried. And rampant ostrich-horses galloped through the city without owners.

"I can't see anything up there!" Zuko hollered to Sokka over the din.

Sokka swerved around a cowering family in the street. "We know where Azula is, so we can only hope we'll reach them first!"

At several points they came to road blockages, walls of terror-stricken people that refused to go anywhere else. At the first one they came to, Zuko brandished his sword and demanded that they let them through; the people barely noticed him, let alone move for him. Sokka led from then on, finding roundabout ways to move: alleyways and side streets.

Finally the houses began to thin, and fields opened up around them, rolling with excess dust and threatening to contain a multitude of firebenders in the thick, tall grass. The noise from battle was hushed in this distance. As if on cue, the horses slowed to a slow trot, and their riders didn't correct them.

Sokka's voice escaped him as a whisper. "I don't like this."

"Why aren't there soldiers here? Don't you think there would be fighting out here too?"

Sokka halted. "Something's not right."

"Come on," Zuko barked. "Azula's out there. If we can get to her and negotiate, then maybe we can stall enough for them to reinforce the city. And if anything, we need to get to her before Aang does." He clenched his jaw, feeling that maybe he was only talking to calm his nerves: a bad habit he'd picked from being around his new 'gang'. "I think-." He glanced over his shoulder for the other boy.

Sokka had disappeared.

Zuko drew his swords. "Sokka! Get out here now! I don't want you leaving my sight!"

"After all…" A familiar voice drawled, "something could happen out here."

"Azula," Zuko choked, his stomach knotting in fear.

"Get down and step forward slowly."

"Where's Sokka?" He asked cautiously.

"Put the swords down, Zuzu."

"Where is he, Azula?!"

Four figures emerged from the dust, two of them gripping a slouched, pony-tailed one.

"Return him, and I'll come to you," Zuko bartered.

"Are you 'stalling'?" Azula smirked. "I believe that's how you put it, yes? And do tell what sort of reinforcements the city would give."

"I… I don't-."

"Tell us or your new little friend here dies."

"He's no friend, Azula." Zuko replied hastily. "He's a bargaining chip. I was going to offer him-."

"Lies. Of what good would he be to me?"

"He's a friend of the Avatar. You could use him as bait."

"But so are you, my dear brother!" Azula cooed. "You've been so helpful to me in that aspect. Now not only do I have my fugitives grouped together, but I can use them against each other! Besides, if he's just a chip to you…" She glanced at Mai and Ty Lee. Mai swept her knives to Sokka's throat. Zuko started.

"Ah…" Azula smiled. "So, back to my original point: get down, put your swords on the ground or else your peasant dies. Believe me; I can make this extremely unpleasant."

Sokka yelped in affirmation.

Zuko dropped his swords to the ground and slipped from his horse, stepping forward a few steps. Azula motioned for Mai to hold him.

"If you don't have the Avatar…" She continued, pacing between Sokka and Zuko. "Something's missing here. Did he turn on you?" Neither answered. "Oh, come now. Let's not waste the day! I've only budgeted twenty-four hours for this battle, and I intend on keeping it as such."

"We know where he is," Sokka answered gruffly. "Zuko said those things to throw you off."

She scoffed. "I don't know which is dumber: that you accepted Zuko into your ranks or that Zuko allowed you to. Have you no honor left, either of you? Have you no patriotism?" She turned to Sokka. "What would your father think of such a bond?" He looked away. Azula's eyes went to Zuko. "And yours? Well, I think we all know what _your_ father thinks, don't we Zuzu? After all, it's written so clearly on your face."

"Just tell us what you want with us, Azula!"

"Not in a chit-chatty mood? Fine, then." She sighed delicately. "The truth is that I don't have a Southern Water Tribe peasant on my list of things to capture." A flame instantly rose and bounced in her palm.

"Azula," Zuko squirmed in Mai's grasp. "Don't."

"More chit-chat?" She grinned. "This is your girlfriend's brother, is it not?"

Mai's fist tightened on his arm.

"How do you know that?" Zuko insisted.

Azula rolled her eyes. "I know everything, but that isn't the point. The point is that the only reason you don't want him to die is so that your poor girlfriend isn't upset- which by the way, is the lowest of the low. How you could stoop so low is beyond me."

"Shut up about Katara."

"What did defending anyone ever get you?" Azula snapped. "You've lost those battles before. Isn't it about time you gave those up?" She raised her fist. "The peasant will die, and I'll do it in your _honor_, Zuko."

"No, Azula! What good would it do? Please, don't!"

"You'll never learn, will you?" She sneered and turned to face Sokka.

Desperate, Zuko entreated his captor. "Mai," he muttered. "Please… Let me go. If you really care… about me…"

Her blank eyes lit up momentarily, and her grip intentionally loosened. Zuko lunged, missing Azula as she took her stance, and put himself right in the middle of her fire.

"NO!" Sokka screamed as Zuko fell to the ground before him. "No, no, no." He looked wildly to Azula, frozen above her brother's body. "How could you? You killed him! Your own brother!" He fought furiously against Ty Lee's clutch.

Mai's hand went to cover her mouth. She trembled in her shock.

Azula laughed softly. "Well, it was a terrible shame that Fire Lord Ozai's son died on the battle field at Ba Sing Se. Just like his cousin," she added quietly, stepping around Zuko's form.

"What…" Ty Lee swallowed, feeling sick. "What do we do… with…" She held Sokka, more in comfort than in imprisonment. "With… Zuko?"

"Leave him. Tie the other's hands. I don't want him following us. And see if you can be creative and make it look like he killed Prince Zuko." Azula answered, beginning her march towards the city.

Mai could not move from her spot. "I let him go," she said quietly.Ty Lee and Sokka looked up at her sharply. She followed her princess obediently.

Ty Lee roped Sokka's hands together, her fingers lingering on his shoulders. She glanced at Azula's retreating back, and then hugged Sokka briefly.

"I'm so sorry," she murmured. Running after her companions, she gave enough time to only look back once.

"You idiot," Sokka spoke. "You're such an idiot. Why would you do that? Why couldn't you just…" He took a shaky breath. "You would've made Katara a lot happier than I ever could. You probably could've… helped Aang more than I can… He has to learn firebending. I can't help him there. You just… You never do what other people tell you to do! That's your problem! You can't let things happen! Well, things _do_ happen!"

He shuffled around for his knife, ignoring the achy feeling in his throat.

"Now what? If I go after them, I'll get killed too. And I can't leave you here." He worked his dagger against his bonds. "I have to… warn… the others." The rope snapped free. "Cousin…" Sokka was delirious in his attempt to overlook reality. "Your cousin died here? What else don't I know about you?" He whispered. "How much else… I would've liked to know… Zuko… What have you done?"

xxx

A/N

I think that was a nice place to stop, yes?

Now come on… WWDRD? (what would dream royale do?)


	5. Chapter 5

A/N

These characters belong to Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios. The plot- however sad it might be- is mine.

xxx

"Where are they?" Katara breathed. "They should be back already."

"Have patience." Iroh replied, grasping her shoulder.

She shook her head. "I can't just stand up here and watch. I can help, and I should."

Words of virtue that might have passed through Iroh's lips did not. He refrained from holding her back or even suggesting something that would occupy her more safely. Still, silence kept him.

"I'm going after Aang." Katara said experimentally. Against her will, her voice lifted in the last syllables, pronouncing a question to her companion.

Iroh only nodded and said, "Be careful."

Without another word, she left the elder man in his spot, flying through the balcony door and into the palace.

xxx

Unbeknownst to Katara, the streets outside had only gotten worse since Zuko and Sokka's passage. Debris and people littered the streets. Buildings were halved, and the broken edifices' entrails were strewn across the lanes, trapping the screaming citizens to what they presumed to be their deaths. Earth Kingdom soldiers ran across the roofs that were still in one piece, leaping from one to the other in search of firebenders.

Katara plunged through this mess. She had no idea where to start, so she finally settled on the wall. Once she reached there, she'd comb the city looking for her lost companions.

'Please be safe,' she pleaded with them.

Multiple obstacles barred her way. Several times over she helped rescue families from collapsing buildings or catch a rogue firebender. After an hour of distractions, she made her way down the main street and into the dead war zone, where the fighting had already ceased. There were some cowering people holed up in the buildings still, but no soldiers occupied that area.

It was even silent enough for Katara to call out for her group. "Sokka! Zuko! Aang!" Her voice echoed back to her. "Where are they?"

Water brushed her cheek, and she swatted it away in alarm, only to realize she was crying.

"I shouldn't have left Iroh…" she muttered to herself. "We both knew it was pointless."

Shifts in the rubble caught her attention. Katara stood rigid. The footsteps continued to work their way towards her. There were multiple sets.

"Who…Who's there?" Katara demanded. She flicked her water skin open and tensed herself for attack.

The strangers stopped.

"Come out! Who are you?" Katara repeated.

"You must be my late brother's girlfriend."

Katara reeled and sent ice spears through the dust without reason. She spun on her heel and crashed through the street, attempting to outrun Azula. How had she gotten this far into the city? Where was Aang?

Late brother?

Katara halted and turned to face them- she'd heard them follow lazily.

"I thought you might be slightly interested," Azula continued as she caught up.

"You hero-types are so predictable." Mai droned.

"Explain yourself." Katara snarled. "Where's Zuko?"

"Don't you understand what 'late' means?" The princess sneered. "He's dead; I can assure you."

Katara's voice dropped to a whisper. "You're lying."

"That's a chance you have to take, isn't it?"

"What… what happened?"

"Your brother sacrificed Zuko's life for his own. We gave him the choice. Your own family condemned your lover… Isn't that quaint?"

Mai and Ty Lee exchanged glances.

"Y-you…" Katara motioned to Mai. "You… Zuko told me you… How could you let him die? You loved him!"

"You answered your own question." Mai replied coldly. "Past tense. I loved him."  
"I still don't believe you," Katara said hastily. "You're lying!"

Azula shrugged and let out a delicate sigh. "And you are wasting my time. Please allow us to kill you as well so we can get on with our tasks."

"I won't allow it." Katara said.

"I don't have time for this. Mai? You had a previous grudge against her. You take her out."

"Yes, Princess."

"Ty Lee and I have some errands to run. Let's go Ty Lee."

Katara and Mai stared down at each other as the others walked away. The Water Tribe girl was first to speak, and she did so slowly.

"You let him die?"

Mai narrowed her eyes. "I'd rather see him dead than mix in with you."

xxx

"All the balloons are down, Sir."

The general nodded and crossed the balcony to consult with the firebender. "All of the combat is now on the streets. It's impossible to regulate it and still conserve lives… I don't suppose you have any ideas?"

"A few," Iroh said gravely.

"And what of the Avatar?" Another general interrupted. "If he's gone-."

"He is not." Iroh shook his head. "Believe me; it will take much more force to bring the Avatar's will down."

A/N

It's basically the shortest chapter ever. Oops. Quick reads though, yes?


	6. Chapter 6

A/N

Wow. A few of you actually want to kill me:D But I know you love me for coming back.

Characters don't belong to me. How's that?

xxx

"You can't blame him," Katara snapped. She didn't feel as if she was in her own skin anymore. "You can't blame Zuko for wanting to be with me rather than you."

The corners of Mai's lips jerked back, but she remained silent.

"At least I stand for something." Katara had the urge to break the spine of some object- anything. Any act of physical exertion would save her from this mounting sense of paralysis. "I stand for freedom. I would die for freedom. And you! You stand for whatever's right in front of you at the moment!"

"I have always cared for him," Mai said darkly.

"You let him die." Katara shook. Emotions struggled against each other for dominance. Anger won. "You might as well have killed him yourself!"

"He asked me to let him go!" Mai raised her voice for the first time in years. "It was his last request, and I gave it to him. Can you say that yourself?"

"Let him… go?"

"He…" Mai shook her head. She'd ruin Azula's lie. "I won't give you the satisfaction of knowing his last moments. Those are for me, not you."

"You're a monster!"

"You're a thief."

"I only took what willingly came to me."

"Temptress."

"Heartless!"

"You don't have any clue what I've been through. You can't judge me."

"Oh,_ right_! To be on the winning side, sipping wine with your noble lady friends, feeling oh so _bored_ while the rest of us fight to our deaths!"

"I'll kill you." Mai raised her arms to a fighting stance.

Katara's entire body tensed immediately. "I'd like to see you try."

xxx

Azula took a deep breath and smiled satisfactorily around her. "Do you hear that, Ty Lee?"

"I hear screaming, Princess."

"Exactly. That is the sound of progress being made. This city will soon fall to my father, the Great Fire Lord Ozai… I don't think I will rename this city. It should bear its own name in piteous shame. Ba Sing Se, with its ruler, Lord Ozai."

"Yes, Princess." Ty Lee muttered meekly.

"Mai's taking a long time on that peasant."

"I'm sure Mai is doing fine," Ty Lee said brightly. It occurred to her that that meant the Water Tribe boy's sister was dying.

"I should think so. Well, let's get this over with and find the Avatar. I'm catching Mai's spirit of boredom."

"What about setting a trap?"

"We've effectively incapacitated at least three of his companions." Azula noted dryly. "I don't think we have time to spare to find another."

"That's true."

"We will find him."  
"But… how?"

"He will find me first," Azula grinned.

xxx

She sprinted through the streets. Her comrades would be furious if they found out she was late. Dodging a falling building, she ducked into a small shop and maneuvered through the edifice.

She could hardly believe she'd made it out of that battle alive. That girl was tougher than she looked!

At the final blow, she'd stood over her opponent, brandishing a weapon to the fallen girl's throat.

"This is for Zuko,"

"Do it quickly." The other replied, squeezing her eyes shut.

"No. I won't. I won't kill you, and that's the part for Zuko's sake." Her voice dropped lower. "If it was for my sake, you would be dead."

Katara had then turned away and left Mai to tend to her wounds on the ground.

She pushed her way through the empty shop, disappearing out of the back door and into another alley. Her comrades would be furious if they found out she was too late to save Aang from Azula.

xxx

"Stop," Azula halted, her attention snapping from one side to the other. The faint swoosh of an ancient weapon twirling in the air, manned by some small, capable hands: that's what she thought she had heard.

"The alley?" Ty Lee offered, gesturing into its abyss.

"We must be quiet," Azula ordered. "I don't want to scare our prey away."

They stepped lithely through the rubble and further into the alley, their shoes making crackling noises despite their attempts to keep silent. At the far end, light shone across the top of a halved building, throwing itself onto the walls and the back of a red-clothed Avatar.

"Good job." He said dryly and remained facing the wall. "You only had to tear down the whole city to find me."

"The city was part of my purpose." Azula replied calmly. "Let's make this quick, Avatar. I want to spend the least amount of time possible in this mudhole. You want to bargain. Make your offers."

"I will not compromise."

Azula huffed. "You really are just a child! In a few moments, I will have officially overtaken Ba Sing Se in the name-."

"No, you won't."

"Excuse me?"

Finally, he turned slowly to them. His face was badly cut, and he seemed to want it to be that way. Taught and small, his lips did not look his own, and his eyes were sharp and joyless. The boy had died.

"Here are my terms, Princess. You will leave the city, and you will not return. I will take any soldiers already in the city as prisoners of war. Understand?"

"It would be less funny if you had some base on which to stand on, but you don't." Azula mocked him. "Are you blind? Don't you see where you are? The city is teeming with my soldiers who are about to breech the palace wall. I have you stuck in this alley for my taking. Oh, and not to mention, I've already killed your friends."

Aang did not flinch. "You're lying."

She turned to her companion. "Ty Lee?"

"They are dead," she mumbled.

Aang's grip on his staff tightened, but that was the only change. "Well then, that changes some of my terms."

Azula's lips curled in amusement. "Oh does it?"

"You will leave the city only if I have no successfully avenged my friends."

"You know, you're still leaving out the part where I have you cornered!"

"Correct." Aang widened his stance and swung his arms in arc above his head. At the same time, the three-story rock wall behind him disappeared into the earth, sinking faster than the girls could judge where it was going. Then, with another swoop of his arms, a solid wall rose behind the Princess, whooshing as it cut through the air.

"Now," he continued patiently. "I have _you_ cornered."

Before either girl could postulate action, Aang ground his heel into the dirt and a screaming Ty Lee sank up to her shoulders in the earth.

"You're bolder than I give you credit for, Avatar." Azula said softly, admiring his handiwork.

"Please… I… can't breathe.…" Ty Lee pleaded.

"Our terms?" Aang pressed.

"If I was to give in that easily, do you think my father would have sent me?" Azula snapped.

Immediately, the two leapt into action, blocking severe initial blows and dancing around each other in bright currents of fire and air.

xxx

Katara didn't want to believe what she was seeing in the alley. Aang looked more inhuman than ever, snarling in a fury she didn't know he could possess. Azula seemed normal, taking measured steps and firebending simply as if she was trying to wear him down, and her friend's head was sticking up from the ground, gasping and grimacing in obvious pain.

She discreetly slipped into the alley and knelt beside Ty Lee. The girl's eyes were bright with tears.

"Please…help."

"Be still," Katara urged, trying to wriggle her fingers between the dirt and Ty Lee's arm. "I'll try waterbending you out. Try not to move."

"No…problem." Ty Lee panted.

Katara flicked open her water cask and drenched the earth around Ty Lee. The moisture clumped the dirt together and made it so that Katara could pull up on it, but as she did so, the prisoner only jerked forward and sank back into the mud.

"Oh no…" Ty Lee mumbled.

"It's okay," Katara assured her. She glanced over her shoulder at Aang and Azula; they were still too preoccupied to notice her.

She pushed the water fully around Ty Lee's body, trying to pull her out that way, and she slowly formed a liquid cocoon and successfully hauled her out of her trap. Ty Lee popped out from the ground and wheezed like a fish out of water. Immediately Katara froze her wrist to the wall, inhibiting her from moving.

Ty Lee was gesturing madly at Katara to stay and listen. Looking back once more at Aang, Katara crouched beside her.

"I had to do that," Katara explained firmly. "I can't have you running away."

"I know. I know. I would've done the same thing." Ty Lee agreed. "Well… maybe not the saving part-."

"You're stalling." Katara turned to go.

"No! Katara… Please… I'm sorry."

Katara raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"Your brother… and Zuko… I'm so sorry."

So Mai hadn't been lying. Katara took an unsteady breath of stale air. "You aren't even human, are you?"

"I know you can't forgive me, but just… Just know that I will always regret what we did."

Katara shook her head. She couldn't deal with such a colossal loss right now. Aang needed her- the city needed her!

"Keep out of my way." Katara warned the girl. "I took Mai down, and I'll take you too."

Ty Lee nodded feverishly.

Before Katara could turn around to survey the fight, her head snapped back and Azula laughed obnoxiously in her ear.

"Now what, Avatar?"

Azula had Katara pinned in her arms, with two fingers pressed to her exposed throat. The three of them didn't move or speak. Aang began to switch his staff back and forth between his hands, pondering the current situation. Nothing was simple those days.

"That's pretty low, Azula." Aang breathed. "Let her go. She has nothing to do with this. This is between you and me."

"It's called collateral. Give yourself up, Avatar; this is the end."

Aang dropped his gaze.

"It's one life for thousands, Aang!" Katara shouted. "Sacrifice me for the world… Please… Don't-."

Azula shouldered Katara. "I don't believe anyone ever asked for your opinion. Avatar, make this decision a quick one. I haven't got all day."

Aang's focus went to the top of the wall behind them: the one he'd moved. If he could do that, why couldn't he figure this out? These untaught skills were haunting him daily now, and if he didn't learn soon… There had to be some way out of this. He could convince Azula to take Katara away- but why would she do that; he was right here.

Movement on his wall caught his eyes, and he froze.

"Avatar…" Azula threatened.

"I am thinking, Princess." He said dully.

A man's shape appeared on the skyline. An L-shaped club was raised above his head.

"Now!" Aang screamed.

A boomerang flew from the sky and thumped Azula in the back of her head. She swayed on her feet for a few moments, released Katara and slumped gracelessly to the ground. The three remaining conscious people in the alley looked up towards the giant clouds of dust and smoke above them.

"S-Sokka?" Katara whispered.

"He's alive." Ty Lee sighed.

"And she won't be."

Again, the three spun around to focus on the man behind them, poised above his sister's body in a firebending stance.

"Zuko!" Katara exclaimed.

"Don't." Aang insisted. "You aren't your sister, so don't kill her."

"She would have killed Sokka, just the same." He replied coldly.

"But she didn't." Aang stepped forward and grasped his shoulder. "This battle is over. Leave it here."

"We picked up Mai." Sokka chimed in from down the alley. He dropped a figure onto the ground. "So… are we all accounted for?"

Katara grinned at her brother. "We're all here."

Still, Zuko would not drop his arm. "We're supposed to just turn them in? Just let them get away with what they've done?"

In spite of the miraculous reunion, the alley was solemn. "Yes," Katara and Aang chorused.

Zuko snarled, "No! It can't be this way! So good wins over evil, and evil is just going to sit in the corner and do their time? This is madness! Don't you care about what they've done? Shouldn't they pay?!"

"If we let the past take over us," Katara said gently, "then they would win no matter who is standing in the end."

Zuko's body relaxed as her words soaked in. "So… So this is it?"

"We'll let Wu have them." Aang nodded. "And that's it."

"This is what happens when the good guys win, Zuko." Sokka said proudly. He clasped him on the back amiably. "I know it's kind of a new thing to you."

Katara stepped forward and closed their circle. "We should get this cleaned up now, huh?"

Aang studied their surroundings. "We'll have to get a cart over here to haul them off. We should tie and gag Azula and Ty Lee. And what about…" He trailed off. No one was too keen in listening.

"Aang," Katara embraced him firmly. "I thought you were all dead… Let's forget about purpose for just one moment, and let's just be."

xxx

Battle had numbed their senses enough not to care that the city was literally in pieces or that if left untended, their gaping wounds would probably kill them or even that at last the infamous princess of the Fire Nation was captured. All they knew was that they were one step closer to home.

Every few feet, each member of the group would look wildly around at his or her companions- just to be sure they were still there.

Eventually each would tell their tale. In the end, no one would know where exactly they were specifically; it didn't matter. The stories would all blend and pool together into a collective history to be lived through, learned from, and left alone.

xxx

A/N

Well… When you rush dream she gives you rush back. I wish I could redo this, but I need to get it all out and published before the premier.

And you all should've known better than to think I would've let Zuko die! Pfft. Sillies.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N

The decision is no longer in my readers' hands. You wanted a speedy update, and when I gave you one, half of you complained about it being rushed. There is no question as to why. Please understand that quality takes this writer more time. Thank you.

I will also note that right now school is picking up faster than I expected. Please do not rely on quick updates from me. I will publish chapters when I can.

Plus- this fiction has been TOTALLY uninfluenced by any Season 3 episodes, spoilers, anything Season 3 of any kind! This plot was completely structured on April 3 of this year. Keep. That. In. Mind.

Characters belong to Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios.

xxx

"You are all… alive…" King Wu said gravely.

Aang shook his head in the affirmative. "We have captured the Princess and her two comrades."

"We felled every balloon." Sokka noted.

"The Fire Nation generals are now surrendering." Iroh finished. "They are being escorted here as we speak."

Wu rose from his throne and stood looking down on the heroes in his hall. He threw out his chest.

"My city…" He boomed.

"Is saved." Aang smiled brokenly.

"… is ruined, Avatar!" King Wu growled. "It will take months- years to repair these damages, not to mention the civilian lives it cost-."

"Sir, we _saved_ lives. And forget your buildings. Those can be rebuilt!" Katara admonished.

"It never would have happened if you hadn't been here in the first place, would it?" Wu sank back into his lavish chair. "I hold you solely responsible for the destruction of the city as well as," he held up a hand to the protests, "the capture of the princess."

Zuko leaned towards Sokka and mumbled. "Oh… So this is how it feels to be on the good side?"

"Not usually. We normally don't get any sort of credit." He replied haughtily.

"In conclusion…" The king continued. "As consequence for your actions… I cannot allow you to live in my palace any longer. You may leave now."

"Very well," Aang cut off his companions' attempted outbursts. "We'll go." He bowed stiffly. "Thank you for your hospitality."

"Do not mock me, Avatar, or I will throw you in jail with the rest of the Fire Nation believers."

Aang ushered his friends out of the hall so they could explode in their anger away from the king.

"That lunatic!"

"Doesn't he realize it would've happened sooner or later?"

"Throw us in jail? He can't do that! Without us the city would've fallen for sure!"

"Guys," Aang called. "Please… What's done is done. We have to move on now."

"Where will we go?" Zuko asked. "You still need to learn earth bending, and it's going to be even harder to find a teacher. We know Wu's going to send out propaganda against us."

Aang sighed. "I'll find someone. It'll just take-."

"Time," Sokka interrupted. "We don't have time, Aang. I'm sorry, but it's spring now. We need to speed things up."

"We, we, we, we…" Aang frowned. "There is no 'we'. _We_ aren't learning earthbending and firebending. I am. _We_ won't have propaganda sent against us. I will. You guys are taking blame that is entirely mine!"

"Well, we are your friends." Katara assured him. "And all of us care."

"I advise that this discussion continue once we leave." Iroh nodded down the corridor. "The guards look a little anxious."

xxx

The group moved about the apartment in slow, evident pain. No one really wanted to leave. The palace had been the closest thing to home any of them had come to in a long time. There was comfort in those walls- a gentle embrace that would be lost to them the moment they stepped outside of the city. The real world was cruel and true. The lie of peace was too easy to live in Ba Sing Se.

Aang finished packing first. His modest lifestyle allowed him only a single bag of effects. He slouched on the living room floor while he waited, Momo curling into his lap like a cat. Zuko joined his solemn companion on the rug a few minutes later.

"We did well." Zuko said softly. Momo leapt into his lap, and he stroked the energetic creature absently. "I didn't honestly think we could do it."

"We've been kicked out." Aang snapped. "This wasn't like we planned."

"Plan?" Zuko scoffed. "We had no plan. Look, considering Azula showed up at our door just this morning, I think we did a good job. The last siege on Ba Sing Se was six hundred days!"

"Exactly. It only took her a few hours to get in."

"She had air power."

"Make excuses all you'd like, but I failed." Aang shifted his leg upright and tucked his knee beneath his chin. "I know you don't like hearing it, Zuko, but we lost."

Zuko jerked his palm in the air so violently that Momo sprang away. "You know, a few months ago I would've agreed with you. Yet somehow I was suckered into this 'positive' way of thinking that you guys are so crazy about, and now I think you're wrong. We're all _alive_. Azula's in _jail_. Ba Sing Se is still the _greatest_ Earth Kingdom stronghold in the world! Isn't that good enough for you?"

"No battle would've happened at all had it not been for me." Aang replied sharply.

Rising to his feet with a disgusted sound, Zuko barked, "You're right, Aang. It wouldn't have."

He stalked away from him- too furious to sit in the same room. Instead he knocked gently on Katara's door; she always had a way of calming him down.

"Come in," she beckoned from within the room.

Instantly more relaxed, he shuffled inside and sank onto the nearest piece of furniture. Katara flashed him a smile from her bureau.

"I heard you shout." She commented.

He sighed. "It's Aang."

"He'll be fine. He's a bit shaken- that's all. I mean, we're all a bit broken up by today." Her voice suddenly quieted, and her hands stopped in midair. "Oh, God. Zuko, I thought you were dead!"

He crossed the room in a flash and wrapped his arms around her. "You and me both," he whispered into her hair.

"We'll…" She took an unsteady gulp of air. "We'll all have to exchange stories…later, but…" Stepping away from him, she studied his face worriedly. "You're alright, aren't you?"

"Fine." He held her fingers to his lips. "And you?"

"I'm fine, too… I never even stopped to think. It never even occurred to me to believe them that you were dead. And Sokka… they said something about him. I don't even remember."

"You've never been in battle, have you?"

"No. Well, I can't exactly call you bursting into the South Pole a battle-."

Zuko chuckled nervously around his flushed cheeks.

Katara continued. "And at the North Pole, the men kept me pretty busy elsewhere. Guarding the princess and yada yada."

"I doubt this will be your last experience." Zuko said heavily.

"I do too." She shook her head. "I just want to get this over with."

"That time will come sooner than you'd think." He picked up a folded blanket on her bed and refolded it- a sloppier remake. "Time is never on your side…. Months seemed to crawl back on the ship. Even days were sluggish."

"And so are you guys." Sokka chimed. "C'mon! We need to leave."

Zuko looked skeptical. "You're already packed?"

"As a matter of fact, I've been packed for about fifteen minutes."

"You fit all of your new 'weaponry' into bundles?" Katara folded her hands on her hips.

"Well… I meant clothes-wise I was packed. I haven't started on everything else."

"Then, c'mon!" Zuko mocked. "We need to leave!"

xxx

The five of them stood outside the palace, looking up in its silent grandeur as awed as they had been on their first day. They had finished loading their supplies into Appa's saddle. Dawdling seemed their only option to delay leaving.

"We'll come back." Katara promised them. "When we've defeated the Fire Lord, we'll come back here and celebrate."She looked to Aang for his backup. "Right?"

He jerked his gaze away and said numbly, "Let's go."

xxx

The flight over the city was eerie and gloomy. The buildings were stooped inward, broken and leaning towards the proud heart of Ba Sing Se- the palace: the only unflawed edifice the gang could see from the air. They could see people shifting in the dust, raising their tired heads to see the bison fly over them.

No royal official had seen them off. Appa had simply been loaded up, and the five expressionless people had climbed up onto him and took off into the sunset.

"I don't think I minded skipping the formalities of a royal sendoff." Zuko said sarcastically. He and Katara were curled together at the end of the saddle.

"At least they let us keep the money." Sokka added. He had a small gold pile between his legs, counting and figuring how long they could make it last.

"And the tea," Iroh concluded. "It's so expensive these days."

"Appa won't last long in the air like this. The load's too heavy." Aang shouted from Appa's lead. "We'll land in a couple hours."

"That's the most I've heard him say all evening." Katara muttered.

Time overtook them slowly. Flashes of pink and purple slashed the orange sky above them. Each hue was attempting to steal domination of the dying sunlight. As they watched, the purple quietly engulfed every color until the globe was covered in that dark, soft shade. Just as the first star poked its brilliant head into their midst, Aang lowered Appa to the ground to make camp in the familiar woods outside of Ba Sing Se.

"I'd hoped I'd never have to see this place again." Sokka scowled at the surrounding trees. "Nothing but bad memories."

Zuko and Katara exchanged pleasant grins. "It's not so bad," she remarked.

"Huh! How about Haru? Doesn't that bring to mind some horrible memories?"

Zuko groaned. "I wish you wouldn't mention him."

"I can't even recall these woods." Iroh scratched his head. "I must have slept through the whole thing."

"You're lucky." Sokka unrolled his sleeping bag onto the dry leaves. "I wish I could _not_ remember."

"Would you please be quiet?" Aang demanded. "I'm trying to focus!"

"I liked it better when he didn't speak." Sokka grumbled. "What's your problem anyway?"

Aang held up a palm and wriggled his fingers. "I'm putting my hand," he knelt, "on the ground… to see if there are any other people around. So stand still and be quiet!" He glared at Zuko and Katara. They stopped giggling immediately.

"Oh, yeah. Another thing: you two aren't sleeping next to each other." Sokka pointed at them.

"Sokka-." Katara started.

"Shut up!" Aang screamed once more. The air around camp swirled threateningly.

"Aang," Iroh said calmly. "We have nothing to be afraid of. There are four experienced benders here and one brave, talented soldier. We will be fine."

Sokka puffed out his chest. "Yeah. Brave… Talented-."

"Talk to us, Aang." Katara pleaded. "What's wrong?"

"Last time I let my guard down, every one of you almost died." Aang shook his head roughly. "It's not going to happen again."

Iroh put a hand on the boy's shoulder. "What happened in Ba Sing Se was unavoidable. If not Ba Sing Se, then another city. But you are forgetting- Azula was captured. She can no longer threaten anyone, and for that, you should be rejoicing. If every soldier hung onto his defeats, he would no longer be able to face even the simplest routine task. You have to let go of the King's verdict and accept what you have now."

"You're right," Aang admitted reluctantly. "I just have to learn from my mistakes and move on."

Katara sighed. "That's the healthy thing to do, Aang. And think of what you did right, too! Azula is-."

"In jail. I get it."

"It'd be a good idea for us all to go to bed soon. We've had a long day." Sokka noted.

Katara turned back to Aang. "We'll talk in the morning."

"Sure," he said. His voice sounded hollow. "I'm sure we can get everything resolved."

She pulled him into a hug. "I am proud of you, you know. You were amazing today."

"Thanks," Aang muttered. He bit his lip.

Katara grinned at him and began to walk towards her pack.

"Hey," Aang called her back. "I'm proud of you, too."

xxx

A/N

My dang backspace key is… wonky. I have to hit it in just the right spot or it makes this clunky noise. URGH.

So now I'm going to get into the real, original stuff that's not become the common theme (or maybe it has?) for Season 3 fictions. PLEASE understand that this Season 3 fiction was not influenced by anything save what was in Season 2.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N

Only one of you saw this coming. Hope you like it.

AGAIN: in no way was this influenced by any given element of Season 3.

Please forgive me for this super-rushed fluffjob. I woke up last week when I realized Aang was invading the Fire Nation this Friday. Therefore, I'm going to attempt to finish chapters 8-14. Chapter 15 would be a blessing. Wish me luck.

xxx

When Katara raised her head from her fur-lined bedroll, the air in the camp seemed surreal. She even went so far as to close her eyes again. Perhaps she was still dreaming. Her eyelids flew open again. Whatever was wrong hadn't gone away.

Groggily, she clambered to her feet and surveyed the area around her. Sokka was still tightly curled in his bedroll. Next to him were Zuko and Iroh.

Katara rubbed her eyes. All's well there.

Silence thudded against her ears. If she went back to sleep now, then she could forget what she knew now to be true. She squeezed her eyes shut.

"Aang…" She murmured.

The camp was devoid of the bison, the lemur and the young airbender. Nothing was left to prove they had ever even been at the camp at all. Her heart slammed against her chest.

"AANG!" She screamed.

The boys sleeping behind her wriggled and complained.

"Katara…" Sokka grumbled. "Go-."

"Get up! Get up right now, all of you! Aang's gone. He's gone. Oh my god. Where is he?" She paced around the campfire frantically. "Maybe he was kidnapped. Hey! Get up!"

Iroh was first to gain control of his thoughts. "Search for signs of a fight. Look on the tree bark, any fallen branches, scuff marks on the ground- anything."

Zuko and Sokka were up moments afterward, pawing at their eyes as they stumbled together around the camp.

A couple heartbeats later, Katara snapped, "Looking for signs isn't going to help find him." Tears prickled her eyes. "He's… I'm going to go… look for him. One of you stay here in case he comes… back."

She sprinted away, leaving the other three dumbstruck in their spots.

"He isn't coming back," Zuko said quietly. He kneeled on the ground and scooped up a note and a small sack of gold

"What is it?" Sokka breathed.

"Here." Zuko handed the note to his companion.

Sokka took a shaky breath and read the small print aloud. "Please understand that I haven't left you because I didn't want to be with you. You guys are the best thing that's ever happened to me, and that's why I won't stand to see you in danger any longer. I know Sokka will probably say it's your duty, and Katara will say you're my friends.

Well, this is what I say: I won't give you the choice to put your lives at risk any more.

Please don't worry about me. I'm going to find a firebending teacher. I've left you most of the money. I took some of it for my own food (hope you don't mind).

The town we stayed at earlier where the earthbending tournament was is almost completely destroyed. I did some surveying for you, and there's a town a few miles west that you may want to go to.

We'll see each other again. I promise."

Sokka threw down the note, disgusted. "Who does he think he is? He's just a child! How can he make decisions for the lot of us? And where is exactly is he going to find a firebending teacher? Was he just going to come up with all that on his own?"

"He did a brave thing." Iroh said gravely.

"Brave?" Zuko scoffed. "Brave would be to watch his friends suffer because he knew they wanted to. It's cowardice to run away from that."

"But he also needed us." Iroh pointed out. "He will be into some trouble, and he knows this."

"He's so… immature sometimes." Sokka sighed. "How are we going to find him?"

"Who says we will?" Zuko countered. "If he's that stupid as to go out on his own, then let him!"

"Zuko, he's the Avatar." Sokka said. "We can't let the Avatar endanger himself like this!"

"I'm going to find Katara." Iroh announced. "Refrain from killing each other while I'm gone."

"Look," Zuko said, sitting on the ground. "What I do know is this, what money he left us won't last us forever." He dumped the contents of the bag onto the ground. "It looks like enough for a few weeks of food, but that's it."

"If we get Aang back, it'll be much easier to get money. Believe me. Do you think the King at Ba Sing Se would've given the four of _us_ money? No way! He gave it to us because we were with the Avatar."

"You know, Katara's not going to think of this from a tactical standpoint. She's going to want us to go after him regardless." Zuko muttered.

"Yeah, well… If we do decide not to go after him, we may have to trick her." Sokka pondered.

"You've done this a few times, have you?"

"Only a few."

"From the way he acted yesterday, I guess we could've expected it." Zuko dropped the coins back into the sack.

"We couldn't have stopped him even if we did see it coming."

Katara sobbed as Iroh led her back to camp. "_I _could've stopped him! I should've seen this coming. It's all my fault."

"Katara," Sokka groaned. "Stop the pity party. It's not going to solve anything."

"Aang will be fine." Zuko assured her.

Katara glared. "The last time he was alone he froze himself in an iceberg and didn't come out for a hundred years! How is that fine?!"

"Point," Sokka counted.

"His note directs us to a town west of here." Iroh reread the letter. "Does that mean he is directing us to there or away?"

"Aang may be the Avatar, but he's not too logical. I don't think he's trying to trick us." Sokka said.

Katara wiped her eyes with her wrist wraps. "Well… Wait a second… We know how to find him. Zuko's tracked him dozens of times."

"Yeah!" Sokka chimed. "How did you do it?"

"Um…" Zuko glanced at his uncle. "It was mostly…"

"Dumb luck." Iroh sniffed.

"I had some tactics! I sent my men out to ask if anyone had seen the Avatar. He has a giant bison. It's pretty hard to hide that from everyone; odds are that at least one person has seen him. It's just a matter of finding that person." Zuko argued.

"So where do we start?" Katara asked.

"He took our food." Sokka sighed. "We'll need to restock first. And we might as well see what kind of transportation we can get."

"Let's go to that town he mentioned. Maybe they will have ostrich-horses… and tea." Iroh patted his rotund stomach.

xxx

" 'A few miles'?" Sokka cried. "We've been walking for five hours!"

"For the last time, please shut up." Zuko growled.

"We know how long it's been, okay?" Katara added.

Sokka kicked a rock in front of him. "Aang's distance judgment is seriously off. I wish he'd at least left Momo to bring us some leechynuts or _something_."

"We could always cut you up and eat you." Zuko offered.

Despite the fact that the two had gained higher levels of respect for each other and a subtle sense of comradeship, Zuko and Sokka still bickered almost as badly as they used to. They took up the lead of the march. Katara followed sullenly behind them, head drooped onto her chest. Iroh shuffled his feet at the rear.

"I haven't walked so far in months." Iroh panted. "Let's stop to rest. Maybe we can find something to eat in these woods."

Zuko and Sokka exchanged glances.

"Uncle, we need to get to town before nightfall. If we don't get dinner, I will eat Sokka."

"Which would not be good." Sokka said.

"Or appetizing," Zuko finished.

"Very well," Iroh sighed. He stopped and arched his back slowly, groaning as he did so.

"We get it, Uncle." Zuko snapped. "You're tired. We all are."

"The sooner we get to the village, the sooner we can start looking for Aang." Katara said numbly.

The group fell back into silence, unsettled by the lack of brightness Aang could usually provide.

xxx

"I see… something…" Zuko mumbled.

The sun had set an hour before, but they were determined to continue their march. Finally, they had reached the village.

"Food first." Sokka ordered. "Then sleep."

"Nothing will be open," Katara retorted. "We might as well just sleep here for the night."

"In the road?" Zuko sniffed. "Like a bunch of beggars?"

Iroh lowered himself to the ground wearily and began to rub his ankles. "We'll find food in the morning."

Sokka tossed his sack onto the ground and flopped on top of it. "It would be good to rest."

In minutes, they could hear him snore. The rest followed his drowsy example.

xxx

Creaking wooden wheels, laughing, rough voices bickering, and the brays of various pack animals woke the group the following morning. The sun was a lot higher than they'd expected, and there were many more people around than they would've liked.

"We overslept," Katara murmured, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Now what do we do?" Zuko asked.

Sokka spilled the coins into his palm. "We have enough for breakfast. We can come up with a plan after we've eaten."

The gang wandered through the crowded market streets until they found a small tea shop.

"Four cups of ginseng and whatever pastry you offer, please," Iroh ordered for them as they found a quiet corner in front of a slotted window.

"So how much money do we have left, anyway?" Katara asked. She was wedged between Zuko and the wall. Sokka and Iroh sat opposite of them.

"We can eat lunch." Sokka counted. "But after that… it looks a little grim."

Zuko scratched the stubble forming on his chin. "On the way here, I saw a poster looking for help on a farm. Maybe… Maybe we could get jobs." He cringed as if even the suggestion was painful.

"Every second we delay puts more distance between us and Aang." Katara argued.

"But we can't keep going without funds," Iroh said softly.

Zuko sighed. "What if we told people we were with the Avatar? Don't people give you free stuff if you tell them that?"

"Well, if you haven't noticed, the Avatar isn't exactly around right now. It's going to be hard convincing him we're with him if they can't see him." Sokka sniffed.

A waiter brought four steaming cups and a tray of bread. They dove on the food.

After a few bites, Katara agreed. "Fine. Let's get jobs."

"We'll split up after breakfast and meet back in front of the tea shop at noon." Sokka said.

xxx

After looking at the wanted poster again, Zuko headed out of town to find the farmer. He wasn't sure how he was going to get a job if he'd never worked a day in his life, but Katara had managed to fill him in with some positive reinforcement before he left.

"You'll do great!" She'd cried. "Just tell them you'll work hard. Don't act too smart- laborers aren't supposed to think. Oh, and roll up your sleeves to show off your muscles, too."

Zuko groaned inwardly. Dumb muscle. This was why he could never connect with the soldiers who used to work with him.

Cornfields began to rise up around the road. He tried to think of everything he knew about corn. It was tall… yellow… He glanced at a nearby stalk. Where was the corn? Maybe it grew underneath the earth…

xxx

Sokka walked into the shop with his head held high and his chest puffed out. This was his territory. He took a deep breath of the damp, fish-laden air before striding towards the burly man chopping filets in the back.

"I can work for you." Sokka said proudly as he approached.

The man barely looked up from his work. "Oh, yeah?"

"I've seen more fish than any other man in this establishment, I can tell you that!" Sokka grinned.

"Who do you think you are, boy?" The man squinted down at him. "You don't look older than fourteen!"

Sokka fidgeted. "I'm sixteen, sir. And my name is Sokka. I come from the Southern Water Tribe."

"Yeah?"

"Yessir. When I left, I was the only man providing for the village. I fished for the entire Southern Water Tribe population."

The man snorted. "Heh. I bet. So what can you do for me?"

"I can do anything in this place."

The man considered it for a moment and rubbed his hands on his greasy apron. "Alright, kid. I'll hire you."

"Great! What should I do first? I see some bear bass in the back. Would you like me to-."

"Actually, I've got something even more important. The front room is a mess, and I'm afraid it takes a toll on the customers. So I want you to take care of it for me."

"Oh, yessir!"

His boss gave him a broom. Sokka's chest fell consdirably.

xxx

"I can never get people interested in old artifacts." The elder man brushed the table of antiques fondly. "Most of this stuff is from the Fire Nation- traded to my father before the war. But there's so much animosity towards the Fire Lord that I can't get anyone interested in any of this stuff."

Iroh nodded sadly. "They have a rich culture. It's a shame there isn't more interest in learning about it."

"Yes! Oh, so few people understand. I've been called a fire worshipper. I'm almost…" The shopkeeper took a shuddering breath. "I'm almost broke. I had to move out of my old shop and into this tent. I've tried selling other things, but my reputation is tainted now, I suppose."

Iroh laid a hand on his shoulder. "I may be able to help you."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll get some more interest in your shop. If you'll let me borrow the sungi horn," Iroh tapped the dented bronze instrument, "then I'll sit out front and play it."

"You can play the sungi?" The man's eyes lit up. "That's incredible!"

"It's an old family tradition." Iroh smiled.

"Well, yes, go ahead. That's bound to get a little interest."

Iroh picked up the horn and adjusted it on his side.

xxx

For almost an hour, Katara wandered around the town. She tried to talk herself up to several shopkeepers, a grocer, and even a tailor; but no one wanted temporary help. She was almost ready to give up when she saw a small sign posted on a building, 'Healer.' The place was small, and when she stepped inside, it seemed even smaller. There were a few people in the front room waiting on cushions, and their conditions didn't seem too severe- all the better for Katara.

A young woman appeared from the back and called a name. A pregnant woman rose and shuffled across the room. The young woman looked over her patient's shoulder and flashed a smile at Katara.

"We'll be right with you. If you'd like to sign in here…"

"Actually," Katara took a step forward. "I'm interested in a job."

"Oh," the woman replied. She asked her patient to wait for her in the back. She turned to Katara. "I'll let you talk to someone. Follow me, please."

They entered a hallway and walked past several cupboards full of salves.

"What is your name, Miss?"

"Katara," she answered. "I'm a waterbender, so I thought I might be of some assistance here."

"Oh, well! That is something. Uh, Song?"

A smiling brunette poked her head around a corner. "I'm in here!"

"Would you please talk to Katara about a job here? She's a waterbender."

"Wow!" Song's grin widened. "I'd love to talk to you, Katara. If you don't mind, I'm mixing some lotion, so if we could talk while I continue?"

"Of course," Katara nodded. She thanked the other woman as she walked away.

"So what brings you here, Katara?" Song asked. "You must've come a long way!"

"From the Southern Water Tribe."

"Are you living here now?"

"No, to be honest, my friends and I are only staying here for a short time, and we just need a little cash." Katara held her breath.

"Oh, well that's fine. These are the summer months, and people seem to get themselves into more poison ivy than any other season! We would love to have your help."

xxx

"I can… shovel… and… I learn quickly." Zuko nodded at the farmer lamely. All lies.

The farmer shifted his feet. "Well, I don't have much use for shovelers right now. I need someone to out and weed the fields."

"Yes, I can… do that."

"Alright, can you start today?"

"Yes, but I need to break at noon for lunch."

"'Course, 'course. You're only human. If I was you, I'd start at the north side of the field and make your way back up the rows that way."

"Right."

The two stared at each other for a moment.

"Well?" The farmer said.

"Oh, now?"

"Yes, now! Whadja want me to say? When ya feel like it?"

"Uh… no, no. I'll… start." Zuko blushed and walked towards the field.

"North is the other way, son."

"I'm not your son." Zuko barked.

"What was that?"

"Nothing." Zuko fumed.

"Don't cop no attitude with me, ya hear? I won't take it from any lowly worker who walks onto my property."

"I am not a lowly worker." Zuko spun around. "And that was a double negative, by the way!"

"What are you talkin' about?" The farmer settled his hands on his hips. "Shut yer yap and get working!"

"Stop ordering me around! It was my choice to come to you, after all!"

"Oh, yeah. A real bright guy like you could get a job anywhere, right? You wouldn't be here if you didn't need the work!"

"I don't need your work!" Zuko hissed. He had to resist setting his flea-ridden shack on fire. "I quit!"

"Ya never even started! Get outta here before I throw you out!"

"I'd like to see you try." Zuko shot over his shoulder as he stormed away.

His pace didn't slow until he was back in town, and a crowd blocking the lane prevented him from continuing his march. He tried ducking around the people, but there were too many. Finally, he tapped someone on the shoulder.

"What's going on here?"

"Can't you hear it? It's marvelous! Old Yanzheng's got this guy who plays the sungi horn!"

Zuko frowned. "The sungi horn?"

"Yeah! Just listen."

Sure enough, over the bubbling chatter and clapping of the crowd, Zuko heard his uncle's tune. He shouldered his way through and found Iroh happily puffing on the instrument next to a beaming older gentleman. Some little girls pushed past Zuko and dropped some copper coins into a bowl at Iroh's feet.

"Uncle!" Zuko gasped. "What are you doing?"

"This man is your uncle?" Yanzheng exclaimed. "You must be so proud! Moushi has literally saved my business, all because of his ingenious playing!"

Iroh paused for breath. "It was nothing, really." The red tinge to his cheeks said otherwise.

Zuko resisted rolling his eyes. "Uncle Moushi, we have to go meet the others now."

"Oh, you're probably right." He handed Yanzheng the sungi horn. The crowd moaned their disappointed. "I'll be back!" Iroh insisted. "I just have to break for lunch. In the meantime, perhaps you should browse Yanzheng's excellent commodities."

"Thank you Moushi," Yanzheng gripped Iroh's arm. "This means the world to me. Please, keep the tips. You deserve all that and more."

"You always did like theatrics," Zuko mumbled as they walked away.

"I was doing him a favor," Iroh beamed. "I just so happened to get paid at the same time. How was your job hunting?"

"Fine," Zuko grunted. "Look, there's Sokka."

Sokka sighed when he reached them and began his usual griping. "Well, at least I have a job. It reeks though."

"I hope it smells better than you do," Zuko grimaced. "You smell like fish!"

"For a good reason!" Sokka snapped. "I found work at a fish place. But the owner doesn't see my potential yet… So how's your luck been so far?"

"I'm working for tips playing the sungi horn," Iroh displayed his pay proudly.

"Yeah? Good for you! What about you, Zuko?"

"I uh…Well, it's going."

"I wonder if Katara has had as much luck as we have." Iroh pondered.

"Hopefully more so." Zuko grumbled.

xxx

"She's so nice! I think it's going to be great working with her," Katara narrated her morning events.

"I'm glad you found a job you liked." Zuko replied.

After lunch, Zuko offered to walk Katara back to the healer. He felt guilty for not telling the others he didn't have a job, and he wanted to tell Katara. She would understand.

"You seem a little upset," Katara took his hand. "How'd it go on the farm?"

"I… uh… I quit."

"You quit?"

Zuko was grateful that her tone remained calm and patient. "Yeah… I did."

"Why?"

"You aren't mad?"

"I might be. It depends on your reasons."

"Well… He… was…insolent."

"Zuko!"

"He was! I won't work for someone who doesn't show me any respect."

"Now I'm mad! You have to get a job! If Sokka can get a job- and you of all people should know how hard it should be for that sarcastic, good-for-nothing-."

"Look, I'll do better next time, okay?"

"Promise me you won't quit this one."

Zuko mulled it over.

"Zuko!"

"Fine! I won't… quit… unless I have to."

"You won't have to because from here on out, you're going to tolerate your supervisors, right?"

"Right," Zuko sighed.

"Look, there's another job posting. Go check it out."

"I'll walk you to the healer's first."

"No, no. I'm fine. You're stalling." She kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later, okay? With a job!"

Zuko dejectedly turned to the wanted sign. 'Laborers wanted. Inquire within.' He had a feeling the pit in his stomach wasn't from lunch.

xxx

The rest of the afternoon, Katara helped Song clean bandages and wash the bed linens.

"We'll get you in the healing rooms soon, Katara." Song said apologetically. "We just need to get you used to this place first."

"I understand."

"How long will you be staying here?"

"As long as it takes to earn enough money."

"I see. And the others in your company- they're getting jobs, too?"

"Most of them," Katara laughed. "My boyfriend's having some ego issues."

Song grinned. "Your boyfriend? Oh, that must be so romantic to travel the country together."

"It might be if his uncle and my brother weren't around."

"Oh," Song nodded. "Is it just the four of you?"

Katara dropped the bandage she'd been holding back into the soap suds. "Yeah... Just… four of us. So, um… Who do you live with?"

"My mom and I have a house outside of town. Say, why don't the four of you come over for dinner tonight?"

"Oh, I don't want to intrude-."

"No, it will be our pleasure. My mom's an excellent cook, and I'd love to help you out."

Katara smiled. "We'd really appreciate that, Song."

xxx

Authors Note:

I can't believe that garbage just came from me. XD

There just so happened to be a lot of jobs in Song's town. I mean, hey, it's a war-affected, slightly impoverished village. Why wouldn't they have job openings?

One of the reasons this is called 'Facing Fears': I wrote in the worst Mary Sue, created by the creators themselves. –lightening cracks—SONG!

"He had a feeling the pit in his stomach wasn't from lunch." Cheesiest one-liner ever, thank you.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N

A/N

I watched the newest Avatar episodes (which would be Boiling Rock Parts 1 and 2- out on DVD before released in the US on television… wonderful) and became inspired. I can't say how great these last chapters will be. The plot is good, but the writing may be rushed.

Characters, setting belong to Avatar the Last Airbender, Nickelodeon Studios.

xxx

With the cash Iroh had earned in tips that day, he booked a room at the village inn for the night. The group tumbled into the room after their respective jobs and collapsed.

"I'm exhausted," Zuko muttered, his eyes half closed.

"You got a job!" Katara cried. "What is it?"

"I'm an assistant to an ostrich-horse trainer. Those stupid animals have more ferocity than you'd give them credit for."

Sokka snorted. "Zuko, that's pathetic."

"Says the one who smells like fish."

"You're going to have to clean up." Katara announced.

Sokka whined, "Why?"

"My coworker invited us all to dinner at her house."

"Oh, that sounds good," Iroh said. He patted his stomach. "I haven't eaten anything since lunch."

"She said we could come over whenever we were ready, so let's go!" Katara handed Sokka a damp towel.

"I'll just stay here." Zuko answered groggily.

"You can sleep walk, can't you?" Sokka asked, slapping Zuko's head with the towel.

xxx

As the sun settled into the horizon, a blanket of darkness was cast over the town, obscuring the otherwise recognizable landscape; however Iroh recognized the path through the shadows as the drowsy group stumbled towards Song's house. Sheer hunger inhibited him from toying with the thought of de-ja-vous for too long. Zuko, on the other hand, was clutching Katara's shoulder with one hand as he shuffled along so he could keep his eyes closed.

"What do you think she'll have?" Sokka asked. "I hope there's some meat involved."

"Shh," Zuko mumbled. "I'm sleeping."

"Perhaps roast duck…" Iroh added.

Katara warned, "Just remember to thank her, and don't scarf everything down. At least pretend to be courteous. And Zuko, you might want to wake up. We're here."

The darkness was so thick that the only things they could see were the flickering lanterns lining the porch.

Iroh blinked. "Katara… What was the name of your coworker?"

"Hm? Oh she's-."

"Please let me sleep." Zuko growled. His eyes were still shut.

Sokka led the way up to the house, and he boldly knocked on the door. His stomach gurgled all the while.

"I can smell it… It's gonna be good." He purred.

"Zuko," Iroh shook his nephew awake. "I think you should wake up now…."

"Uncle, please. I don't-."

"Oh, hello!" Song called out to them. "It's nice to see you again, Katara. And you must be Katara's brother! You two look so much alike: same eyes."

"Sokka," he said, taking her hand. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is mine. My name is Song."

Zuko finally jerked to attention. "Song?"

"Li?" Song peered from past Katara and Sokka. "Mushi?"

"Good evening," Iroh bowed politely.

Zuko was still gaping, trying to ignore both Song and Katara's pointed stares. "I… uh…"

"I think I dropped something back on the road!" Katara said suddenly. "Excuse me, Song. Z-… Li and I will go look for it. We'll be right back."

"Oh! Would you like a lantern?"

"No, no." Katara grabbed Zuko's arm. "It won't take long; I'm sure. Why don't you all go inside and get settled? We'll catch up." She pushed him forcefully towards the lane.

Zuko began stuttering as soon as they were out of earshot, "I-I-I'm… I didn't… She didn't seem too upset! Why are you so c-concerned?"

"Is this the Song you stole from?" Katara demanded.

"I…" Zuko glanced around him and found the item in question tied to the shed. "I borrowed from her. Look, the ostrich-horse is right back where I found it."

"That is _not_ the point!" She hissed. "You stole from her! Now how are we supposed to face her?"

"Listen, this isn't a problem. If Song didn't want us here, she would have pushed us away. Believe me; I know how people react to someone unwanted. Let's just go back inside, eat, and then see how it goes, okay?"

"This… this is wrong…" Katara cradled her head. "I can't believe this. Of all the stupid luck!"

Zuko smirked and impersonated his uncle, "Fate has a strange way of bringing us to strange places-."

"This isn't a time to joke! Okay… After dinner, I want you to personally apologize to both Song and her mother."

"What! Katara, no."

"Why not?"

"Look, this isn't even your battle to fight, so-."

"She invited me here, you spineless, inconsiderate-."

"You're not going to drop this are you?"

"No!"

Zuko sighed heavily. "Fine, then I'll apologize to her."

"Promise me."

"I promise. Can we go now?"

Katara shot one last regretful glance at the unfortunate ostrich-horse before leading Zuko back into the porch light.

xxx

"Did you find what you lost?" Song asked sweetly as they stepped inside.

"Yeah…" Katara nodded. "We found it, thank you."

Song beamed at them. "So."

Zuko pulled his collar. Was it just him, or was the room stifling? "So…"

"You two are boyfriend and girlfriend, huh?"

Katara nodded again. "Yup, happy as a pair of overstuffed penguins." She laughed softly. No one joined her.

"Well, everyone's in the dining room."

"Thanks so much for inviting us," Katara forced her mouth into a smile.

Song grinned back and ushered them into the dining room.

"Seems okay," Zuko muttered to Katara.

Song's mother, on the hand, did not seem okay. She stood at the head of the table, frowning and throwing accusing glances at Iroh. As soon as Zuko entered, she turned her attentions to him.

"Li," she addressed shortly. "What a delight to have you back."

"Uh… Thank you, ma'am. I… am…" He coughed as Katara elbowed him. "I'm very hungry."

xxx

Sokka set down his second empty bowl. Katara shook her head.

"How long will you be staying here?" Song's mother asked.

"We'll probably only stay a few more weeks, just enough to make enough money to get us back on the road again." Katara said politely.

Song dished Sokka more noodles. "Where are you traveling to?"

"Well…" Sokka glanced at Katara.

"We're kind of…"

"We're just sight-seeing." Zuko finished. "After we met in Ba Sing Se, we just decided that… we were… tired of all the war stuff, so we wanted to travel."

Song nodded. "It must be quite the life. And you met in Ba Sing Se, huh?"

"Yes," Katara replied. "We got along so well, we just thought we'd all go together."

"It's a unique friendship we share," Iroh stated.

"So where are you staying now? Somewhere in town?" Song inquired.

"We found a comfortable lodge to stay: The Blooming Lotus." Iroh answered.

"The Lotus?" Song frowned. "I've heard awful things about that place. You should stay here with us!"

The food in Zuko's mouth was suddenly stuck in his throat. He sputtered violently. The other occupants at the table stared until he finally managed to choke out, "We… can't… stay."

"He's right. We've already…" Katara looked desperately to Iroh.

He took his cue. "We've paid for the next few nights in advance."

"No matter. You can get refunds." Song smiled. "Please, stay here as our guests."

"We don't want to be a burden," Katara admonished.

Song shook her head, "No, no. You won't be a burden at all! And I'm sure we could find some chores you could help with if it would put your minds at ease."

Sokka polished off his third bowl. "This is great food." He tossed Katara a meaningful glance.

"That's… very kind of you, Song." Katara smiled through defeat. "We appreciate the gesture."

xxx

"Absolutely…insane," Zuko mumbled.

Song and her mother waved to the group as they faded back into the dark. Zuko noticed that they stayed on the porch until they were well out of sight: thief prevention.

"I don't know what'd more crazy. She lets some past thief stay in her house, and we accept it." Zuko seethed. He shook his finger. "No, wait. You accepted, Katara."

"It'll be fine." Sokka arched his back in a stretch. "It's worth it just for the food, you know. And besides, we can save money on lodgings and get out of here sooner."

Iroh sighed and rubbed his chin. "Perhaps they wish to keep a closer eye on you, nephew."

"Yeah. A 'keep your enemies closer' kind of thing." Sokka added.

"Great." Zuko huffed.

"You brought this on yourself." Katara snapped. "If you had just done the right thing in the first place-."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. "Then I never would have met up with you. Have you thought about that?"

"Ugh," Sokka pushed Katara and Zuko apart. "Just stop it. No one gets to argue with Zuko but me. And Zuko, stop complaining. We're staying with Song, so just shut up about it, okay?"

"This'll be interesting." Zuko muttered to himself.

A/N

So… this only took five months to write, I suppose. That isn't so bad. But it's pretty short. :) Ah well. I want to get to the exciting parts.


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